


Plants And A Giant Gorilla

by PurpleFlowerGardener



Category: Kong: Skull Island (2017)
Genre: Angst and Fluff and Smut, Awkward Tension, Chemistry, Civilian James Conrad, F/M, James is a little nicer, OFC likes Military men, One Night Stands, Sexual Content, Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-30
Updated: 2018-03-07
Packaged: 2018-10-12 19:59:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 9,700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10498413
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PurpleFlowerGardener/pseuds/PurpleFlowerGardener
Summary: Regina meets a sexy stranger (James Conrad) And they have sex, then she is taken on the trip to skull island, things get interesting.





	1. Sexy Stranger

I bit my lip as I massaged the balls of my hands on my knees. I was wearing a plain white button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up to my elbows, and a black skirt that extended just above my knees, but as I sat, it had ridden up to my mid thigh. A pair of black and white flats, and floral printed pantyhose. My red hair was in an uncomfortably tight bun, and I’d applied mascara and just the slightest bit of pinkish lipstick. A woman dressed in a dark blue pants suit walked out of the office and cleared her throat.

“Uh, Regina Madsen?” The woman asked, and I stood up shakily.

“That's me,” I said and smiled, and the lady nodded and beckoned me to the door. She opened the door and gave me a reassuring smile. I smiled back and walked in.

Half an hour later, I walked out smiling. They’d hired me on the spot. I walked out of the offices and bought an iced coffee at a small coffee stall in the farmers market next to the office and my house. I looked around, there were so many people, so many lives weaving around me in ways I could only imagine.

As I thought about nothing and everything, a guy bumped into me. At first, I was mad. Then, well…

“Hey, watch where you’re-” I turned and looked at him, “-Going…?” I finished the sentence looking up into his eyes. Piercing sapphire orbs broken by his blinks, his pupils quickly expanded. 

“Sorry, have we met?” he asked, he had a British accent.

“I would remember If I’d met someone like you,” I said and instantly regretted it, my tongue was going faster than my brain. The man roared with laughter. 

“I would have to agree. I’ve got to go, though.” He nodded at me and smiled wanly, and walked away.

I spun around on the tips of my toes and started run-walking away toward a stall in the market assorted with different sweets and baked goods. I bought a chocolate cupcake and a package of five biscuits. I walked to the next stall and bought a salad in a bag. Next, I bought some shredded cheese, and then some sweet and spicy sauces. I walked toward my apartment building. It had been the same way that the man had gone, but I didn’t see him anywhere, so I put my card through the reader and opened the main doors to my building. I opened the door and closed it again and started walking toward the elevator when I got the compulsion to look back. There he was, intense blue eyes downward cast, fumbling with his card on the lanyard, and opening the door. I turned around and continued walking toward the elevator. I heard the door open and slide back closed. I reached the elevator and pressed the level 5 button. He walked up next to me and pressed the level 6 button.

I kept sneaking glances sideways at him, and sometimes I caught him looking at him. I smirked, and he smiled, looking away. The elevator doors opened, and both of us stepped inside.

“Hello again.” He said into the silence and I laughed awkwardly.

“Hi, Regina Madsen.” I put out my hand, and the man took it and shook.

“James Conrad.” his hands were big and warm, and his whole demeanor was so obviously designed to Intoxicate.

“So, when did you move in? I was home for the weekend, so…” I trailed off and he nodded.

“I just got here yesterday. I’m still unpacking.” He replied and I laughed. “How long have you been here?” He asked.

“About 2 weeks, my job makes move around sometimes.” I shrugged. He blinked and sighed.

“What do you do?” He asked something in his manner had changed. I was good at reading people, but what I was getting from this guy was, well, unreadable.

“I’m a botanist, I’m currently substitute teaching at the city college, but soon I’ll be working somewhere else. The teacher had a breakdown and needed a vacation, and I was in town, so I was the obvious one to pick.” I replied and paused. “What do you do, James?” I asked and smiled at him.

“British Special Air Services,” He replied and just then the level five button lit up, the elevator doors began to creak open. 

“Do you want some help unpacking?” I offered, again speaking before thinking. He raised his eyebrows, and I bit my lip, unable to contain the cringe.

“Uh, that would be nice actually, but I don’t want to be any trouble.” He smiled and I shook my head.

“No trouble. I’m just going to drop these off, and I'll come up. What's your apartment number?” I asked, and hefted my groceries.

“609.” He replied and I smiled. I stepped out of the elevator and walked to my room. I fumbled for my keys and opened my door. I unpacked my groceries haphazardly. I walked to my bedroom and took my hair out of its bun, and shook my hair around. I opened my pants drawer to get some jeans, and I bit my lip when I spotted my box of condoms. My best friend had sent them as a prank, but I hadn’t thrown them out or anything, I just put them in my drawer to hide them. I grabbed one, even if It was unlikely I was going to use it.

I pulled off my skirt and pantyhose, pulled on the jeans, and slipped a condom into my pocket. I grabbed a six-pack of nice beer from the refrigerator. I walked out of my apartment and locked the door, and walked to the elevator. I pressed the 6 button, and I swear, that rickety little elevator raced up to my floor and opened faster than it ever had. I stepped inside and it shot up the elevator shaft and opened onto the sixth floor. I scanned the doors, and I located 609. I walked over and knocked. I was never this calm when talking to someone I wanted, but now, I was hardly shaking. The door opened, and there was the handsome man.

“Hey.” James greeted me and stood aside. I smiled and walked in. There was a couch, Tv, and a table with a couple of chairs set up in the main part. Besides the furnishings, our apartments were identical. I set down the beers on the counter and looked over to a couple of boxes on the ground in front of the fridge.

“Hey,” I replied. I looked at him, straight in the face, and he walked closer. I rested my lower back against his counter, resting my elbows farther back.

Some sort of message passed between us, but the mood shifted from just interest. He took two steps closer and placed a hand on my upper arm. My heartbeat skyrocketed as his hand slid down to my elbow, his touch sending shivers up and down my spine. 

He let go and I closed my eyes and sighed. His hand found my cheek and I opened them. He was looking at me in a way that- I don’t even know how to describe it. His hand made me melt, and he knew, something in his eyes mirrored the want that I’d felt from the first time I’d accidentally bumped into him and started to yell at him. I knew it was unconventional, I barely knew him, but as he gently tilted my face up and leaned toward me and kissed me, his lips full and soft, I couldn’t have cared less. 

His other hand rested on my hip, and I reached up and lay one hand on his shoulder. He opened our mouths and his mouth was soft and inviting, and I just couldn’t resist. I propped myself up more and he backed away a little so I could stand up straight, and I shivered as both his hands rested on my hips, and slowly started trailing up under my shirt, and it tickled a little bit.

I pushed my mouth into his more, tried to express that need more explicitly, and he bit my lip, and I moaned, James laughed quietly, and his hands roamed to my bra strap. Unsnapping it quickly, I bit his lip and he pushed the air out of his lungs, and because he was a little bit preoccupied, I began to feverishly unbutton my shirt, and he snapped out of it and pulled it up over my head. He kissed my neck as I was trying to worry his shirt off. One hand found its way to my breast and gently squeezed, and I let out a low moan and fumbled the hem of his shirt. 

Finally, I got his shirt over his head and he pulled his arms out of it. He dropped his head to my shoulder and nuzzled my neck, tickling me with the small beard he had. 

I wanted him badly. His shoulders were broad and his waist was trim, that's kinda my type, honestly. He had dirty blond hair and prominent cheekbones, he was about six feet tall. Honestly, he was hot. A military man also, damn, I mean, damn.

One of his hands drifted to the waistband of my jeans and yanked them down. I shivered, the cold air hitting my butt and thighs. I felt contempt for the unequal nakedness levels, so I snaked my hand to his waistband and found the zipper and undid it. My jeans were around my knees, and I jerked his down to his feet, and he instinctively stepped out of them, breaking away from me, when I got a second to breathe. 

He looked over at me. I kinda jelly-legged back to the counter, breathing heavily, eyes closed. I opened my eyes again and he was looking at me with dark lust in his eyes accompanied with something calming. I kicked off my jeans, and picked them up by the waistband, and pulled out the condom and walked the three steps to him and gave him a smile I hoped would convey a sense of nervous excitement and lust all in one smile. I got the point across well enough. His eyes locked on the condom and he tried to restrain a smile but failed and chuckled quietly.

James took my hand and pulled me toward the door to the bedroom. I knew it was the bedroom because I saw no bed in the rest of the apartment and these apartments were small, trust me, I know. It was dim, the only light coming from the steadily slanting light from the apartments large window. It wasn’t fair, his view was so much nicer than mine and we were only one level above mine. 

He dropped his blue boxers and his cock appeared and he put on the condom expertly. Good, he had practice. I walked over to him with no real intent but to close the gap, and when I got a few steps close to me, he angled his body in a new way, and pushed me gently to the bed, when he leaned down and kissed me. He knelt in front of me, and I gasped when his fingers found my womanhood.

A few short strokes later had me laying spread out on the bed with my fist in my mouth preventing me from screaming. He’d slowly tortured me with his hand, prolonging the whole thing, then I grew impatient.

“Please…” I whined and looked down at him, and he smiled at me in a way that made me worry. 

“Please what?” He asked innocently, and I thrust my head back as he pressed one finger on my bundle of nerves, and I felt ecstasy shooting to my brain and judgment. I almost cried from the pleasure.

“Please fuck-” I started and he shut me up using my nub against me. I whined when he took away his finger.

“Please what?” He asked, a smile tugging at his mouth. “I can’t help you if I don’t know what to do…” he teased me.

“You’re a monster. Please fuck me-” I moaned loudly and arched my back.

“What? I didn’t quite catch that” He asked and I almost screamed in frustration. I clenched blankets in my fists.

“Fuckmefuckmefuckmefuckmefuckmepleasefuckme! Please!” I finally got out and he smiled with half his mouth. 

“Why didn’t you just ask?” He smiled, and stood up, wiping my slick on his strong looking leg. It glistened in the barely lit room, the sun was barely up anymore, and the artificial lights of the city were perfect. I needed him, but for once, he came through. 

Before I knew what was going on, he was on top of me, and my legs were wrapped around his torso just above his waist, and he was stretching my cunt to its limit. My eyes fluttered in pain and ecstasy simultaneously, and he grunted in my ear, and I was constantly moaning. He was a tight fit, and it almost hurt, but I loved it.

Soon, he became sporadic with his thrusts, and I got close to my orgasm, and he was kissing my neck and I was digging my nails into his back and stifling screams of pleasure, and then- an explosion of endorphins in my head, and slick sliding out of my womanhood. 

James moved forward and back twice more after I’d came, and then he cried out in a very grunty fashion and stopped. He rested his head in the crook of my neck, and I was breathing deeply. He gently slid out, and walked somewhere I couldn’t see, I heard a soft thud, and then he was back next to me.

“You can stay here if you want.” He yawned and turned to his side to look away from me, and he was asleep. Post sex hormones wanted me to stay, to snuggle up to him and stay forever, but my one night stand reflexes told me to get dressed and go home. I got out of bed quietly, and grabbed my underwear off the floor, and put them on. I walked to the kitchen and pulled on my pants, snapped on my bra, and buttoned up my shirt. I ran my fingers through my hair to make it look presentable, put on my shoes, and looked back to the bedroom. I didn’t want to leave. I knew he was probably done with me, never wanted anything to do with me from then on, he was a military man, but still. I smiled at him ruefully and walked out of the apartment.


	2. I Didn't Think I'd Add Another Chapter, But Here It Is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did not think this was going to continue because I wrote half this chapter a long time ago and kinda left it. Welp, prepare for more.

In the office, I was calculating statistics for the day, when two older men walked over to Amanda and talked to her for a while, and Amanda steadily got more worried looking, and after a short silence, she shook her head. They did this at all the other cubes, then came to me.

“Regina Madsen?” they asked, looking at their paper on a clipboard. 

“Yes?” I asked, wearily.

“We are putting together a mission to an uncharted island, and we need a botanist.” They informed me.

“What’s the catch?” I asked. “You asked all the other woman before me, and you got turned down.”

“It will be dangerous because this island is surrounded by a violent storm system, not unlike the Bermuda triangle. The island is also said to have many odd and completely unheard of animals and insects.” The man replied, he seemed to sag with age.

“What’s the pay like?” I asked, and the man seemed to brighten at my interest.

“It will depend on the difficulty of the mission, you would be paid on return.” The other guy said, and I nodded.

I paused and said “I’m in,” I heard an audible gasp from Amanda and some of the other people on my team.

“Excellent. We’ll pick you up on Saturday.” the old man handed me a packet, with a satellite picture of the island on it. It looked like a skull. The two men walked away, and I turned back to my computer, ignoring the horrified stares from my co-workers.

Saturday couldn’t have come soon enough. I did the reading, the island sounded like something out of a sci-fi novel. It included many theory papers on the hollow earth theory, along with some blurry photographs of giant creatures. The white coats expected to find a giant creature. I scoffed at the thought, but I still wanted to study the plants. I genuinely enjoy botany, I don’t understand why so many people think I’m crazy.

I was sitting in my apartment packing when I received a text from the old scientist.

“Change of plans, take a taxi or something to the airport, We have a ticket lined up for you.” He told me, and I told him I would. 

I put a ton of shorts and light shirts in, along with sports bras and socks, I tossed in some of my own personal equipment, and a book to read on the way in. I included some other stuff too, but I needed to get ready myself. I pulled on some gray leggings and a tight t-shirt sporting a picture of a rose. It was scoop neck, and I love scoop necks. I took off my earrings and replaced them with plain gold studs, and tied my hair back into a ponytail and slipped on some boots.

I called an uber, and when it got to me, I got to the airport quickly. I told security I was with my team of scientists, and they scanned me through to a small jet. I stepped inside with some other people, and I was lead to a small seat in the economy class. I looked around, and guess who was sitting a row behind me and on the other side? James Conrad. I cringed away from looking away from him.

It had been a week since hooking up in his apartment, and I’d been awkward. I avoided him as much as would seem like I wasn’t avoiding him, but I didn’t want to talk to him. Besides the offer to stay that night, he’d been so cold toward me. I’d wanted to be something more, and he didn’t. I was always wanting relationships instead of just one night stands, but It was the best one night stand I’d ever had.

He noticed me when he stood up to go to the bathroom. His lovely blue eyes lit up with recognition when he saw me and paused mid stride. He quickly pretended that It hadn’t happened, and continued to walk toward the toilets.

The plane began to fill up quickly after that. James got pinned to the wall by this little kid. After the plane was full, the kid started balling.

“I wanna sit next to mommy!!!!” It kept sobbing, and James looked really uncomfortable.

“I’m right here honey, don’t be afraid-” the woman said, but the kid drowned her out with the cries. James stood up and slid out of the seat, and approached the woman.

“Would you like to switch seats?” He asked, and the woman sighed.

“Oh thank you, sir, you’re a lifesaver.” The woman stood up and walk ran to her child, who almost immediately stopped crying after the mom took the child into her arms and everyone let out an audible sigh.

“Hey.” James greeted me.

“Hi,” I replied, not making eye contact. He sat down and put his backpack under the seat in front of him.

“How’ve you been?” He asked, leaning back into the seat.

“Good, you?” I responded.

“Good, glad to hear that,” He responded cooly. I turned away and looked out the window. We were about to take off. 

I must confess, I am extremely afraid of flying. I know it’s irrational, but I just can’t help it. I felt the engine rumble to life, and I froze to my seat. I was clutching the armrest as subtle as possible, but still, Conrad noticed.

“You... ok?” he asked warily, looking at me with a side eye glance, and I gritted my teeth.

“Not really…” I said through my teeth, and he rested his hand on my upper arm, and I shut my eyes as tight as they would shut, and I found some comfort in the hand of James Conrad.

“It will be ok Regina, planes are modern technology, It won’t do anything to harm you.” He said and I practiced breathing methods that are proven to decrease anxiety. I nodded and the plane was rocking back and forth.

My inner monologue was something like: Oh my god we’re going to fucking die! Oh god no fuck no no no no no no no no! And so on.

“OK,” I said quietly. I bowed my head and closed my eyes.

After a while, I squinted my eyes open, and I was startled at the amazing sight just outside the window. I saw New York as a god might see it, I saw the buildings carpeting the earth. All fear in my head excited, and I was awash in the majesty of it all. Then the plane shook, and I went back to clenching my arms to the armrests, and it was like that for the next hour of the flight. The plane landed, and I relaxed every muscle in my body, all of which were screaming for air. The two of us got off the plane and dispersed, even if it was obvious we were both going the same trip. We got to the curb and waited for the car I was instructed to wait for, and the driver picked me up first, and it pulled up to Conrad, who got in back with me. I sighed as he gave me a rueful look.

Yeah, this was going to be awkward.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> uh, hello again. its been a while.

We were on a boat. I could deal with boats, even if they still kinda freaked me out. The flight had been awkward, but luckily, I took two sleeping pills about half an hour into the flight, and next thing I knew, we were on the ground in LA. It was night time, and my muscles were stiff. 

Conrad had woken me. He shook me a little bit by the arm, and I jolted out of a weird dream.

“Hey, we’ve landed,” He said, his shockingly blue eyes startling my sleepy self.

“Oh, uh, good,” I sat up and stretched, as much as I could in the cramped space. I didn’t really appreciate the lack of mobility, but it was better than nothing.

We ended up next to each other for a while. We walked out of the airplane side by side, we ended up walking together through the airport. I hadn’t bothered to bring in something to big to put in an overhead bin, so I was alright. Conrad had to go to the baggage carousel. I followed him, after he gave me a weird look. I shrugged, and he let it go. We didn’t talk until we got to the Taxi stop outside the airport.

“You’re on the expedition. I checked the roster online. It would be logical to split a taxi?” He asked, and I snorted.

“You just want me to pay for the fair,” I joked, and he laughed too, ruefully.

“I figured we’d split the bill, but if you’re offering-” He bantered back, and I felt a little better talking to him rather than walking in tense silence.

“Oh, I could, but I don’t have any cash. I figured it would be useless on an uncharted island,” I said, and he sighed. 

“How short sighted of you,” He said and I laughed at the sarcasm in his voice. He waved a taxi over, and we put our suitcases into the trunk, and slid inside. We spent the ride in silence again, but it was more comfortable. The taxi, and the silence.

We got to this dock on the pacific ocean. It was the first time I’d seen it in person, and it was so big, I could hardly comprehend it. it was a good background for James when he walked away from me, damn. He was so hot, it made California seem arctic.

We got onto the ship, and I had to sit through a long meeting with the other civilian workers. Apparently it was a largely military operation, so I’d be spending a lot of time with these nerds, and not with Conrad. Truly a shame.

We took off from harbor, and I felt my first twinge that something was wrong. I had a bad feeling as I watched land disappear from sight. I sat there, wondering what could be wrong, when someone leaned on the rail next to me. There was no wind, and my hair bordered my vision, so I didn’t notice at first when James joined me.

“What?” I asked. He hadn’t said anything, but the silence felt like he wanted to say something.

“You left my apartment that night. Did I do something wrong?” He asked, straight up. I laughed once, high pitched.

“No, you most certainly didn’t do anything. It’s been drilled into my head for as long as I’ve been an adult that once a one night stand is finished, you go home. Staying the night is a dating thing,” I shrugged, and blinked at the horizon.

“Yeah. You might not believe it, but I didn’t care if you stayed. That’s why I said you could.” He said.

“What can I say? My instincts took over,” I shrugged again. We were quiet for a while. I didn’t feel this silence was particularly anything, in comparison to the others we’d shared.

“When we get back, do you want to get dinner some time?” He asked, and I laughed.

“Sure, I’d like that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry how long its been. I've just been a bit bogged down with school.


	4. Chapter 4

We got to the island’s storm system border later that day. I got into a helicopter, and held the fuck on when we went though. I am not a religious woman, but in those moments, I wondered if this is what hell is like.

We got through the wall of clouds, and a series of very weird and scary events came to pass in very quick succession. 

First- bombs. I hadn’t been told they’d drop bombs so soon, I mean, we weren’t even at war with the island, but they needed to see the seismic activity. 

Shortly after the island started to rock from the bombs, a tree flew at us from the distance. It smashed into the helicopter right next to us, and they went down hard. I realized this was really hell. The beautiful plants that I so wanted to go study with all my heart were just a facade for the fire and brimstone that would decorate my tombstone.

Next, as if this day wasn’t crazy enough, a giant gorilla jumped out of the fog in the distance. Yeah, I wish I was kidding.

Last crazy thing that happened in those few minutes- we crashed. The ape through another tree at us, and one branch got into our propeller, but our pilot guided us down as gracefully as he could. No one died, in my helicopter at least. I found that to be very wrong when we went to another helicopter that had gone down, only to see a slough of broken bodies.

The rest was a blur anxiety, regret, sadness, longing, and the intense wish to wake up from this nightmare. To just jump from my bed, drenched in sweat, heart pounding, and calm my breaths and think of the good parts, like living though those wild aerial acrobatics the pilot pulled, but no. I was in too much pain to be sleeping, and I was far too in focus to be asleep.

I started to really be around mentally when I passed a patch of grass. It was specific, and I wanted to look at it more closely, but we were going to cover. I would have to settle for living instead of furthering my botany career. I wondered if Conrad had lived through that wild few minutes, I’d seen him get into another Helicopter, but at this point, any number of other people could be alive, or maybe my small party of scientists were the last ones living on this god forsaken yet beautiful island.

“Did anyone see any Helicopters stay in the air?” I asked weakly, and no one offered up any information.

We continued our march to the tree cover. I spotted some moss that was specked with purple, so I stopped to look at it. It looked like it could move if it wanted to, but I couldn’t remember what class of moss that would fall into. Or would it be a mold? Slime mold! That's what it looked like! The slime mold was speckled with purple, and I watched a fly land on it, and die instantly. I decided not to touch it. I guessed I would rather die in a beautiful place rather than an ugly apartment complex.

A shout went up from the people who walked in front of us. I looked up, and Conrad’s eyes were the first thing I noticed. He clashed with the lovely greens of the forest- tan skin, blond hair, and blue eyes, he stood out like a spot lit actor on a dark stage.

Our two groups joined like magnets, friends talking to friends and James ambling over to me. He didn’t say anything, but I could tell her was glad to see me alive. I was definitely glad to see him alive, I still wanted that dinner with him.

“I’m afraid you can’t shake me off that easily,” he said to me in a low level I knew only I could make the words out of.

“I still want that dinner, I was letting you get back to me easy.” I replied, and he laughed quietly. He was really hot, and especially when he laughed. It was a beautiful thing, when such a serious man laughed.

“I suppose even after that you might try. Dinner is quite the motivator,” he posed, and I snorted.

“Nah, I think I’m ok with you hanging around,” I said, and we walked in silence. There were quite a few silences with him, but this one was comfortable, light and full of happiness. I knew I was going to be quite happy, If I got home alright.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter you can see the world time difference.

Something strange about the natives of Skull Island: the Iwi don’t speak with their mouths or vocal chords. They communicate entirely through body language, and it was a bit of a culture shock for me. I tried to say hello to them, but they just looked at me all stony-faced. The man, Marlow, said they’d greeted me in a friendly way, but I couldn’t tell if he was pulling on my leg or not. Night on the island was spectacular. The sky was so clear, I could see the milky way. I lived in the city, so it startled me at first. It was so beautiful. I wished I could reach up and touch a star, but the logical part of my brain told me the star would burn me up and I wouldn’t be able to get even a little close to it before it would kill me. Plus there wouldn’t be any oxygen, so I’d die on the way there. When you become a scientist, certain daydreams become impossible to follow through with. How many times have you dreamed of sitting on a cloud? Well you shouldn't, you’d fall right through it and die, but before that, you’d freeze to death from the cold, and suffocate from the lack of air. Science killing awesomeness since the unicorns.

One daydream I couldn’t seem to shake was getting fucked by Conrad against one of those trees deep in the woods, being able to scream as loud as I wanted without anyone in the group hearing us. I’d always had fantasies like these, but this time it felt a little more likely. Not many hot guys like career oriented botanists, but James Conrad seemed to be the wonderful exception. It had always been on expeditions that I’d gotten the horniest, and I’d dodged it until James had rejoined the group. Then the little banter and then- well, let's just say R.I.P. my panties.

James worked for most of the day on Marlow’s boat. Well, it looked more like a modern art installation, but it floated. He, Marlow, had been stranded here during the Vietnam war and didn’t know anything about modern culture. I’d said some slang earlier that day, and he’d looked at me like I’d cussed out his mom. Once I’d explained it, everyone had a laugh.

One thing worried me. That thing was Mason Weaver. She’d given James some long looks, but I knew I didn’t lay the entire claim on him. I’d only just met him, and sure, he was beautiful to look at, especially when physically exerting himself, but lucky for me, Mason had picked up on the link between us.

“So, you and Conrad?” she asked as the two of us sat and watched the rest work. There were more experienced people and we’d just been taking up space.

“That’s a bit of an overstatement,” I replied after laughing a little. 

“Either way, I saw you, seeing me, see Conrad earlier, you should know I’ve got a girlfriend back home,” She said, and a wash of relief passed over me.

“Ok, maybe I did see you see him, and I know I don’t hold a strong claim on him, but thanks for telling me,” I said and she nodded. “Bisexual?”

“Yes. We’ve been together for two years, when we get back, I’m going to propose. Her name is Molly,” She said and took a drink from her cantine.

“I wish you the best of luck,” I said and patted her on the back.

The atmosphere between Mason and I had friendlied up considerably, and I relaxed in the totally unnecessary knowledge that I was the only girl who was pursuing Conrad through the jungle.


	6. Chapter 6

The sun dipped behind a mountain island, and nighttime commenced. I say it like that because the islands were totally different at night. The sky slowly drifted from its blue to pinks and oranges and yellows, then to the deep black-blue of night. The sky was poked with stars unlike anywhere I’d ever seen.

The island smelled like vegetation, and like many expeditions, I’d gone on. It reminded me of so many lonely nights when I only had the stars for company. 

This feeling was different. The lone sadness was there, and the heavy heart holding me down in my blankets, but I felt a manic nature I couldn’t shake. I rolled around in my blankets and was always too hot or too cold. The blanket I’d been given was itchy on my exposed stomach, as I was sleeping in my sports bra and shorts. They’d been a little ripped up, so I’d turn off the bad stuff with a sharp rock, and folded up the ends to protect them from fraying further. 

I needed something, but I couldn’t put my finger on what it was, but I knew I wouldn’t get any sleep until the need was sated. I couldn’t stop thinking, I needed something stronger than darkness to slow my mind enough for sleep. 

 

I’d gotten like this before, settling my mind with healthy alternatives, but I needed to get out of my skin, or at least stretch it out enough so it was comfortable, and meditation or yoga wouldn’t do the trick. 

I pushed the blankets off me and pulled my shirt back on. It was surprisingly clean, for all I’d been through. A little ripped on one edge, but clean and soft. I pulled my socks back on and laced up my boots again, and quietly exited my small hut. I walked down to the river as quietly as I could. I thought that maybe the sound of running water would free my mind of Insomnia’s clutches.

I sat down next to the dancing water. I wondered if it was cold, and it taking a swim would help. We’d been warned not to swim in the river outside the Iwi territory, but the slow water inside was fine. I wished I’d brought my swimsuit, that water looked good.

I made my decision. I unlaced my boots, pulled off my socks and balled them up in my shoes. Off came my shirt, and then I was met with another decision. I was in a group of people that had three girls, one of whom though the woman were sexy. If I were found out, a giant group of army guys would see me naked, but even then, that excited me a little. I crouched and pulled off my shorts and panties, and both went into my shoes, along with my sports bra. I slipped into the water fully naked, and realized it was a wonderful idea.

There was enough light from the stars reflecting off the water I could see down. It was sandy, and nice on my feet, and the water was cool, but not cold. I floated, and felt the gentle currents tug at me a little, but I was a strong swimmer. I did my best to swim quietly, but at one point, I thought I heard a branch snap, and I froze in the water.

I ducked under the surface, and swam silently back to the shore where I’d left my clothes. I resurfaced, and there were my boots, along with another set. With a man in them. I followed the legs up, and James knelt next to me. He held a big towel.

“Thought you might want this,” He said, and placed it on top of my boots, not touching the ground. “Mind if I join you? Couldn’t sleep for the life of me,” I smiled up at him.

“Don’t mind at all.” I purred, and smirked at the little breath he took as his eyes drifted lower than my eyes. Once I’d noticed the second set of boots, I’d on instinct, covered my breasts with my hands. Not like that would hide it for long, but an ingrained instinct is a powerful thing. He bent down and unlaced his boots and stuffed his socks into them like I had. 

I backed up in the water, and watched as he pulled off his shirt, and he was beautiful. The stars and moon shone its silver light onto him, every line and edge on him as well defined as the blade of a knife. It really isn’t every day a nerdy botanist goes skinny dipping with a hot guy, and I was over the moon with the possibilities. I realized swimming with him would satisfy the manic thoughts running through my head keeping me from sleep.

Then came off his pants. He stepped out of them and folded them on top of his shirt on his boots. He was tall, with long lanky legs. I realized in that moment, this island must be some incarnation of every afterlife. There were these monsters that terrorised every living thing, and there were beautiful places and experiences, like watching James Conrad kick off his pants, and then his boxers, and watch him stand in the moonlight, looking like a statue carved from marble, like Donatello himself daned to carve him.

He slipped into the water with a slight blorp, but it was still quiet enough that I was content that no one would hear it. He walked to me, and the silver water was up to his navil when he reached me. I had to look up at him, being only 5’6”, and as he got closer, my neck craned a little further.

“Couldn't sleep?” he asked, in a hushed tone as to not wake anyone.

“No, too much happened today to go quietly,” I said, and he smiled.

“You say it like sleep arrests you,” He said, and I laughed quietly.

“Oh, it often does, I’ve never really liked sleep, even it it’s necessary,” I said, and he smiled at me. He leaned down, and kissed me, no pretext or anything other than our exchanged small talk and banter.

One of his hands rested on my hip, his thumb pressed into the skin of my lower stomach as we kissed, and it moved hypnotizing circles over my flesh. He was so warm, burning hot, and the cool water must have been sizzling off him. His other hand was also on my hip, but lower, the thumb closer to my inner thigh. His hands were big enough, and I was sure he could have done many things with them to me.

I put my hands on him, feeling him. I wanted a mental image of every curve and edge in his chest, but I found myself getting lower with every pass over him. In that moment, I wanted him so bad, nothing else mattered, especially not Kong, no skull crawlers, no monsters this island could offer up to torture us. It was just the two of us, naked, and memorising each other.

We were two magnets, and drifted closer, until we were no longer two people kissing with space between us, and I no longer had to reach out to touch him, but my entire body was pressed against him, arms around his neck and my fingers were entwined in his hair. We moved together like a well oiled machine.

God, he felt like heaven. No one had ever tasted as good as he did in that moment, and nothing had ever compared to the way he touched me. 

He abandoned my mouth, leaving my lips cold. He buried his head in the crook of my neck and shoulder, and nipped at the sensitive skin there, and a low moan ripped from a place deep within me, and I let go of his hair, and bit down on my thumb to keep from making too much noise. I rocked my hips against him against my own will, my body just did it, and the sweet sound James made was incentive enough to keep it up.

He stepped away from me and set me on his leg, and the angle was right for his face to go into my breasts, and his hands were planted firmly on my ass. I loved the feel of his hands on me, it was better than any drug I’d tried in my college days.

I moved my hips on him, and the ecstasy was blinding me to the odd feeling wrapping around my ankle. It was Conrad who realized what was happening, and he lifted me out of the water with shear force of muscle. Wrapped around my ankle was a massive leech. 

“For the love of god, don’t look down,” He hissed quietly, and I looked down. I was too frightened to cry out. He started to walk back to shore, where our clothes were. I felt dizzy and light headed, and not in the good way kissing him had made me feel. He set me down in the less murky water, where I promptly fell because the leg couldn’t take the weight of my body. I splashed into the shallow water loudly. 

“Don’t move. I’m getting my knife,” He whispered quietly, and I complied. The leech had begun to riggle in a way that turned my stomach upside down. He came back with a really big knife, and gingerly stabbed it through the side. It squeaked in a gut redning way, and went limp. He lifted it off me with the blunt end of the knife. I saw its bottom before I saw the wound it had created. Its bottom was filled with black spines like a hedgehog, and they were dripping with something- my blood.

The wound was several small punctures that were bleeding profusely. The water around us was beginning to be cloudy with red.

“Shit,” I said quietly. Leeches have an opposite poison to wasps and other stinging vespids- they have a natural numbing agent in their bite, so you don’t feel them when they bite you. Wasps want you to feel all the pain of a sting and more, if possible. 

I knew I wouldn’t have much time. Everything in this hellscape was venimus, even the slime mold killed in seconds- and to add insult to injury, I was bleeding so much, I wouldn’t have long before I blacked out and promptly died. 

I edged into the water enough to fully submerge my leg. The water was completely red, but that could be deceiving on how clean it was. It would do, but for all intensive purposes, it would have to do. I gingerly swished water around it, and I saw the wounds, they were probably three inches deep, and not too wide. The leech was built to puncture holes in me, and it did its job well. There were probably 300 puncture wounds around my ankle and low calf. The leech was the size of a loaf of fucking bread. 

Things started getting blurry at the corners of my vision. I was going to black out or something. James lifted me onto the shore and bound my ankle with the towel he’d grabbed when he’d come over. He quickly angled my underwear back onto me, and tossed my shirt over my breasts, and picked me up, and started to walk.

Everything was fuzzy, and aside from the stinging pain all around my ankle and lower calf and shin, I was in a good mood. It was dark and quiet, and Conrad’s arms were comfortable, aside from the frightened expression adorning his pretty face. I didn’t understand what was making him afraid, why would he-

Darkness.


	7. Chapter 7

I was aware of sounds once again, it would seem. Some mimiced human voices, but made no sense. They were words I didn’t understand, but they were pleasant. Other sounds permeated the human voices, birds, a river, people walking around, stuff like that.

How long had I been here? I didn’t really know everything that happened. I had a lot of blacked out moments, but I knew I’d almost died. I’d been swimming with James, then pain- then I was being carried, then I was being cared for by an Iwi woman, then- some sort of twilight state that reminded me of sleep. Now I was- here

 

Movement hurt too much, so I couldn’t really go anywhere, but at some point my eyes started to see again, so I could see I was In a tent with the door opened enough for a little sunlight to shine on my legs, which I could see just barely. One leg looked relatively ok, but the other was heavily bandaged. The bandaged leg was numb, and the flesh above the bandage looked greyish, and sick.

I took stalk of myself. I was wearing my shirt and underwear, and the rest of my clothes were folded next to me. Other than my numb leg, I had a headache and was pretty stiff. I suddenly realized some of the human voice were getting closer. I shut my eyes, I didn’t think I could talk yet.

“She was lucky, that was the type that didn't have poison. A few years back, we had an infestation of the poisonous leeches, and like fifteen people died,” Said the man, Marlow. I was impressed with how much I understood. Some silence followed, then Marlow cleared his throat.

“So, she’ll be alright?” another man asked, James.

“Yeah, she’ll be fine, aside from being a little weak for a day or two. She’ll also have some scars on her calf and shin. Even so, she got lucky. From what the doctors say, she lost a lot of blood, but not as much as some victims. She’ll be fine,” Marlow said, and James sighed.

“That is a relief,” James responded, and the steps stopped. I could tell they were right outside the flap. There was a long silence, and then Marlow spoke.

“Oh! Ok, I’ll get outta here,” he said, and his footsteps faded into the background noise. The door opened more, and the warm sunlight fell onto my face. As quickly, the flap closed and I felt James sit down next to me. He took my hand, and idly traced circles on my palm with his thumb.

I slowly let my eyes drift open, and looked up into his eyes. He wasn’t looking at anything in particular, just fiddling with my hand. I smiled, and the movement caught his eye. The ever trained hunter he was, the smallest movement of a smile wouldn’t slip his notice.

“Hey,” I whispered, and he smiled back at me.

“Hey,” He said and squeezed my hand.

“How long was I out?” I asked and his smile darkened a little.

“You’re not going to like the answer,”


	8. Chapter 8

“12 HOURS?” I shouted and sat up. All body aches aside, I forced myself up into a sitting position. 

“Hey, don’t move too fast.” He said and put his hands out to me. I felt my heartbeat slow, his voice was comforting.

“I was out for 12 hours! We have to go! I don’t want to get left here!” I said and struggled. I stumbled to my feet, and took some steps toward the flaps in the tent, and fell away from my bad leg. 

“Hey! Stop that!” he came over to me and lifted me by my armpits and gently dragged me back to the cot. I struggled against him.

“We have to get out of here!” I said, and he was saying things to try and soothe me, but I was raging. I REALLY didn’t want to be the reason we missed our flight out of this hell.

“We are only a little off schedule. Besides, you have to get dressed.” He said and put himself between me and the door. I guessed he was right. I looked down. I was wearing my underwear, and my shirt was on backward. I slipped my arms into my tank top and turned it around, and looked for my bra and shorts. 

“Hand me my clothes,” I said and pointed to the pile of clothes across the tent. James reached out and tossed them to me. I gingerly slid my shorts onto my legs and winced as it went over my wounds, but overall, it didn’t hurt as bad as some injuries I’d experienced. Now that I had a wakeful mind, I could tell the wound would heal up fine. It wasn’t as bad as I was expecting. The flesh was greyish, but I’d seen far worse. It was bound up in off-white gauze, and in a few places, rusty brown was dry under it, showing through the slightest bit. I felt I just needed a meal, and my blood levels would get back up, and I’d be- well, fine. 

I made James turn around and pulled my sports bra on, and then my shirt back over myself again. James helped me with my socks but insisted I not restrict blood flow to my wounded leg by putting on my boot on that foot. 

He helped me up and acted as my human crutch, and we walked to the boat and I sat on the side and zoned out for a while. I kept wondering if I’d be completely useless in a fight if I’d be the one that got everyone else killed. I didn’t need James to be my crutch, did I?

We ended up down the river a ways, where we were attacked by a flock of dinosaur-like birds who killed one of the scientists. I clutched at the bars behind my head for a long time after. We eventually ran into the other group, the soldiers, and Packard was acting weird.

I was so tired. They gave me can of food which I ate, and I slid down the bench and went to sleep.

Sometime later, I woke up to everyone clambering into the boat again, I looked around dazedly, and I noticed considerably fewer people boarded the boat than before. I didn’t ask. 

I went on not asking. I watched from afar as Kong battled the giant Skull Crawler, I watched him grab Mason, I watched her fall. I watched James go help her, and I watched them all comeback, and as the island receded in the distance as what was left of the nerds and the military. 

Nothing felt real anymore.

I sorta entered my mind when we were standing on the ship. I was staring at the horizon where Skull Island would be when I realized someone had joined me.

“Regina,” James said, and I smiled.

“Hey,” I replied, and I turned my head a little and looked at him. 

“So,” He said and smiled at me mischievously, “I was thinking the Melting Pot at 7 next Friday?”

I sighed. I turned to the side and kissed him. “You have yourself a deal.”

 

The white scars on my ankle were odd. They were short and light, but the swirling pattern they created looked almost like the light flowing water. I would run my fingers around my ankle, remembering the pain of the hours when I’d woken up. I wanted to get a tattoo over it, maybe some vines and flowers, but I hadn’t decided yet. I knew I had to design it myself, but I couldn’t figure out what I wanted yet. I knew I would hate it if I did it wrong, or if the vines were not realistic, well, I wouldn’t be able to put the thoughts out of my head.

After we got home, James and I were in an awkward position. I felt like I knew him well enough to move in with him, and he felt the same, but we were both a little hesitant because we’d know each other for a week and a half. We’d both read Romeo and Juliet, and neither of us wanted to die.

We decided to take things slow, but faster than other people. We’d already seen so much of each other, it felt alright to spend a lot of time together, but we made an effort to try and be any form of normal, however insane that sounds. With what we’d seen, I figured we’d never be normal again. Truth be told, I was just fine not being normal.

Our first date was at the Melting Pot, a really nice fondue restaurant. I’m a sucker for fancy food. I adore baked brie and grape compote on toasted rye sourdough, it’s my favorite food in the whole world. It pairs well with grapes and sliced almonds. 

We had a cheddar cheese as our first course, and a dark chocolate with caramel as dessert, and some form of red wine with it. 

James was good at conversations, and I could listen to his voice all day. I would love it if James read audio books or something like that. He was also, like, really smart. He could volly any smartass humor or sarcasm back to me with such ease. It was wonderful. I fell in love with the wonderful look in his blue eyes that I would make when we had a particularly awesome conversation. He would look up to the sky, then back to me, and he would look at me like he’d never seen anything as wonderful as me. Let me tell you, to a nerd who constantly craves affection, his love was a helluva drug. Even when we weren’t on fancy dates, it was nice. He had a steady calming aura about him that made any bad day into an okay one, and an okay day into a good day.

We were not perfect, but hardly anyone is. I think we are pretty good, for such a screwy start, but there were times I couldn't believe him. Times he was just another boy who didn’t deserve me, but even when I was angry, he hardly ever yelled at me. He only yelled at other people. At bad drivers, at asshole politicians, at generally bad people, but he never yelled at me about little things. I was glad. He could get into these moods, such a darkness inside his beautiful blue eyes, it was frightening. I suppose he did say no man really comes home from war.

We got married in June, a year after we went to Skull Island. We invited Mason and her girlfriend Molly and their adopted son Jake, and the rest of the research party, and my family and some friends, his family, and friends. It wasn’t a really big wedding, but it was perfect. I didn’t wear a shred of white. I wore a blue satin knee-length dress with black lace flower patterns all over it. James wore a plain black tux, and we had a red velvet cake. I liked the sound of Regina Madsen-Conrad a lot.

A month after the wedding, we moved to London, because I found a job teaching botany at a local college. It just worked out that it was also James’ old stomping grounds. He got a job helping train people to find lost people, and we have a nice flat (I feel weird saying flat instead of an apartment) and I’m- I’m happy. I never thought I’d be as happy, but I’m constantly enjoying myself. Sometimes that frightens me because I know the main reason for my happiness is another person, and people die. I guess I could hope to die before James, but I’d prefer him not feel that pain. I guess I was so used to carrying the world, I couldn’t see James doing that.

I- I’m happy. I should stop telling my life story to you so the story ends on a happy note.

I am so happy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to thank everyone for reading this. I know I've not been the most consistent writer ever with my updates, but all the feedback and love from you guys makes it all worthwhile. 
> 
> I know there is a sequel scheduled for 2020, so this may not be the last of Regina and James you read from me. 
> 
> Much love,
> 
> PurpleFlowerGardener

**Author's Note:**

> Constructive criticism, please.


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